Cloth-measuring machine



No. 608,8I8. Patented Aug. 9, |898. J. E. WINDLE.

CLOTH IEASUBING MAG (Lpplicction Mad July 26, 1 7

U40 Model.)

WITNESSES.- Wm- JlzNE. WMLE,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. XVINDLE, OF VOROESTER, MASSACHUSETTSs CLOTH-MEASURING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 608,818, dated August9, 1898.

Application filed .Tuly 26, 1897. Serial No. 645,910. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ wiz/0m it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. WINDLE, of WVorcester, county of lVorcester,State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Cloth-MeasuringMachines, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawingsrepresenting like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novelcloth-measuring machine, the measuring device consisting of aspirallygrooved figured cylinder, said groove receiving a roller orother stud of a follower the position of which is changed as the saidcylinder is rotated, the said follower stopping when the end of thepiece has passed and indieating on the cylinder the number of yards.

Figure l is a top or plan View of a sufficient portion ofameasuring-maehine with my improvements added to enable my invention tobe understood. Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2 2, Fig. l; andFig. 3 is a detail of the follower, its guide-rod, and the adjustableframe by which said guide-rod is carried.

In the drawings, A indicates part of the usual cylinder over which thecloth to be measured passes during the measuring and winding operation,A' itsv shaft, and A2 a worm thereon. This cylinder will and may bemounted,'as usual, in any proper framework. (Net shown.)

The worm A2 is the driver for the measuring device, to be described.This measuring device consists of a cylinder B, provided with a spiralgroove t, leaving a spiral projection b', which is figured from O, thestarting-point, to 100, which designates one hundred yards, the longestpiece of cloth to be measured. This cylinder is secured byset-serews oto a tubular or hollow shaft c', free to turn in suitable bearings c2 ofa frame c3, suitably supported alongside of the cylinder A. The hollowshaft has at one end a collar eAl and near its other end a hand-wheel c5and receives through it a shaft d, having fast on it at one end aworm-toothed gear d.

The end of shaft d farthest from the wormtoothed gear is threaded andhas screwed on it a set-nut d2 the inner end of the set-nut actingagainst a washer e, resting against the end of the hollow shaft. lVhenthe set-nut is screwed tightly against said washer, the rotation of theworm effects the rotation of the hollow shaft and the cylinder B incommon; but when said nut is not set up tight then the cylinder B may beturned by hand freely, to thereby put the said cylinder into positionwith its O mark at the desired and proper position for starting.

The frame part chas pivoted on at f a yoke f', in which is mounted aguide-rod f2, said guide-rod having mounted on it loosely a follower orindicating-linger g, provided with a roller or other stud g and analining edge The yoke f may be turned about the pivot f and be thereheld in adjusted position by a setscrew]c3 in a slot f'. lt will beevident that thus the alining edge g2 is caused to travel eitherdirectly parallel to the axis of the cylinder B or obliquely thereto7according as the rod is in the position shown in full lines, Fig. l, oris at an angle thereto, as shown, for instance, in dotted lines, Fig. l,the object of this provision being that it may indicate measurementsaccording to the prodetermined marked units of the scale on cylinder B,or may add or subtract a constant increment or decrement therefrom whendesired for any reason, one such reason being when the cylinder A hasnot the exact diameter for which the scale on b has been marked.

The full lines, Fig. l, show the apparatusin its normal or startingposition, the edge g2 then standing in line with the O mark. As thecylinder A is rotated the cylinder B will also be rotated and the spiralgroove will move the finger laterally, it always pointing to the figuresrepresenting the number of yards of cloth measured off, and after thecontents of a piece of cloth has been indicated the cylinder is stoppedand the finger by its position shows the number of yards of cloth inthat piece. After a piece has been measured the nut di is loosened andthe cylinder turned about toits O point.

The dotted lines, Fig. l, show the yoke adjusted for accurate work inmeasurement,

I am aware of Patent No. 551,180, in which a grooved drum is xed byset-screws through its hub on a shaft rotated by a ratchet mech- IOC)anism mounted on the Ashaft next to one hub.

ofthe drum, and l disclaim all features of invention therein shown.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent,

l. A cylinder adapted to be rotated by lonsaid shafts longitudinally andthereby coupleV or uncouple said hollow and interior shafts as desired,combined with an indicating-finger moved by said spiral groove andcooperating with said figures, substantially as described.

2. A rotatable measuring-cylinder having a spiral groove and aspirally-arranged series of figures, combined with anindicating-finger.'

having a suitable stud to coperate with said groove, a guide-rod onwhich said finger slides,

` and means to move said guide-rod to adjust the path of movement of thefinger and provide for accurate measurement, substantially as described.

3'.'"rotatable measuring-cylinder having a spirally-arranged series offigures thereon, combined with an indicator to cooperate therewith, aguide on which said indicator is movablein the direction of the lengthof the cyl- I inder, means to effect movement of the indicator as thecylinder rotates, and means to adjust the guide angularly and therebyvary the path of the indicator, to provide for accui rate measurement,substantially as described.

4. In a cloth-handling machine, thecombination with a cylinder overwhich the cloth passes to be wound, of a measuring apparatus,

comprising a Worm fixed on the shaft of said cylinder, a second shaftjournaled adjacent f said cloth-cylinder shaft, a worm-wheel fixed onsaid second shaft, at one end, and a set-nut f movable longitudinally onthe other end thereof, a hollow shaft surrounding said second shaft andextending between and bearing against said worm and said set-nut forbeing locked thereby to rotate with the inelosed second shaft, acylinder carried by said hollow shaft, a spirally-arranged scaleon saidcylinder, an indicating-finger arranged to follow said scale, means tomove said finger longitudinally of the cylinder as the latter rotates,and means to vary the path of said longitudinal movement angularlyrelatively to the axis of the cylinder, as andfor the purpose Vsetforth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence ofl two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN E. 'WINDLE Witnesses:

Jol-1N C. EDWARDS, ADDIE F. DANIELs.

